Fate has chosen this path, but someday you will know
by firefly9532
Summary: What if everything that Regulus originally stood for was all a lie? What if his whole life was a scam to protect his younger brother? What if Regulus sacrificed himself to save the rest of the magical world from Tom Riddle's wrath? Harry Potter fic-Marauders time-period
1. Please

**A/N:**

**Hey guys! Yeah… I got this idea while watching Hau Mulan (the real-people movie of Mulan, it's actually a really inspirational film!) and decided to write this. Oh and also I never really recognized that Regulus was actually two years younger than Sirius…I've always seen him as being older so in this fan fiction I have made him four years older than Sirius just cause I think it fits him better.**

I glanced down at my younger brother, his hair was messy and in his eyes as usual and his pale grey eyes were wide with curiosity as he squeezed my hand tighter, peering into the forest before us.

"Reg?" he asked.

I returned my own icy blue gaze to my brother, hating the nickname he had given me but answered anyways. "Yes, Siri?"

"What's in there? Will it be cool?"

His questions puzzled me; I had expected him to ask whether it was scaryor if it would hurt him however his brave attitude stirred more words to penetrate my curbed tongue, "Are you scared?"

"Not really, I trust you Reg. You would _never _hurt me. Would you?"

I closed my mouth firmly and stared straight ahead; clearing my throat I let a small smile raise the edges of my lips "No."

Sirius smiled and looked at the forest again, a sweet grin now playing on his face. He took a step forward, his fingers still gently grasping my larger hand. He looked back at me his dark brows questioning me with such innocence that I had to look away "So, just to that big tree over there right?" he asked gesturing with his hand to a large oak tree with no low hanging branches, and bark so smooth that it rivaled even the surface of a calm icy pool in the middle of winter.

I nodded returning my eyes to my younger brother. "And don't forget you have to get the key. Or else we can't go see what's in the room" I reminded.

He laughed, "Don't worry. I've got this!" he exclaimed and raced forward, the sparse trees making it easy for me to track his movement, as he made his way towards the chosen tree.

I closed my eyes, my fists clenched tightly in two fists. _Please. Please. Please, let him fail. Let him not reach the key. He MUST not get the key. _I opened my eyes and watched as Sirius struggled to reach the key that was positioned, hanging from a nail in the bark just above the first branches that protruded from the smooth pale bark. "Please" I whispered. His dark hair fell into his eyes as he leapt up; his arms still at least two feet below the branches.

I could not help a smile spread across my face _Yes. _He could not reach it. My hopes had been verified. I was about to call him back when a pallid, eerie light shown around my seven year old brother. A sigh escaped my lips, my eyes fixed themselves on the small boy as his eyes watched, unblinking, as the silver key descended from the trees and into his open hands.

I almost let out a cry of anguish, but stopped myself just in time before his grinning face turned towards me. He raised a clenched fist high above his scruffy head.

"Look Reg! I got it! See? I got it!" His grin was so wide that I could have sworn that it covered his whole face. I would have smiled but grief lodged itself deep inside my heart as he ran back to my side.

_You know what you must do Regulus. This is what fate has chosen for you. This is goodbye for a while but not forever…someday he will understand what it is you must do._

Before long the small boy was standing in front of me, his hair in his eyes again obscuring his joyous face. In his hand was the small silver key.

When he saw my placid face he tilted his head slightly and offered it to me hesitantly.

I did not take it. Instead I rested my hand lightly on his head. I opened my mouth trying to push the words from my throat. I wanted to be happy for him; he was a wizard like me, yet I knew the fate that now rested before the both of us, and I knew what I must become to protect him.

After what seemed like minutes but were only heartbeats, I spoke my voice slow wanting to savor these last few moments "Well done…_Siri_."

_Siri…was this the last time I would say that? From now on he would have to be Sirius._

"_Sirius" _I said aloud testing the word on my tongue. It tasted weird, so formal so…alien. His grey eyes were still trained on me. "Yes Reg?" he asked still oblivious of what I was thinking.

I thought of leaving him now, letting this be the last moment we shared as true brothers…but the contemplation of doing so only worsened my trifling emotions. The corners of my lips tickled as they played into a slight smile, "Lets go open that room!"

His face brightened with relief as he raced ahead of me. I followed at a sower pace; my hands stuffed into my pockets.

_Please. Please. Please, someday let him understand._

**A/N What do you guys think? Would you like to read more? Please review!**


	2. My little secret

**A/N: Hey guys! Ok because there wasn't a swim meet this morning I have had time to make another chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it.**

It had been four years since Sirius had become a wizard. I was fifteen, and he was eleven. I leant against my trolley, all my things neatly organized into one small trunk with a ferret cage resting atop the black surface. Sirius stood beside me, his combed hair more of a black rat's nest now. My mother had tried to calm his long black wings but had failed to do so, and just left it as it was. Arguing with Sirius was not something she liked to do; after all he was very rebellious to her ideals.

His trunk was larger than mine, and the edges of clothes could be seen around the rim of the trunk. It was obvious that he had just stuffed everything he thought he would need, and left.

I sighed waiting for more wizards to show up; it was quite a bore being the first one on the bus, plus I wanted to make sure Sirius got through safely. I continued to watch as the muggles walked around with hurriedly. I always found them quite interesting, though I could never say so in front of my parents. Of course we wizards are the superior race, but that doesn't mean we can't treat them with respect. My parents are always talking about how muggle-borns can't become wizards, but I find this flawed; if a muggle becomes a wizard than it is obvious that they have wizard blood within them, making them equally a wizard as me.

I turned my icy blue gaze to my younger brother, whom I was surprised to find was glaring at me from underneath his thick mane of black hair.

"Yes Sirius?" I asked trying to make my tone cold or mordant.

He stared at me for a few seconds longer before replying, "Thinking about how more 'powerful' you are than them, Reg?"

There was that name again, I flinched slightly. He knew I was uncomfortable with the name, but not for the reason he thought. He always called me that in spite. He wanted to irritate me, but all it did was make me distressed or even jealous that he could call me that and I could not call him 'Siri'. 'Sirius' still sounded so strange coming from my mouth even after four years.

I sighed "No."

His grin was replaced with a curious look "Than what Reg, what are thinking about?"

I did not reply immediately but reached out with my hand and gently rested it on his chaos of hair, and messed it up even more. "I'm thinking about what house your going to be in."

He went silent "Not Slytherine."

"Good. Perhaps we'll have some variety in the Black household"

His eyes widened at my response. _Good. This is the only way I can show him my true self. Once and a while, I can care for him…but remember your task Regulus. He must rebel against our family, and it is you who must make him do so._

"So, what house do you want to be in, if not Slytherine?" I asked, the slow lilt of my voice calm as always.

"Gryffindor, or maybe Ravenclaw…I'm not sure I'm clever enough though."

I tried to mask the smile that was fighting to show on my placid face. "Every Black is clever enough to be in Ravenclaw." I said remembering all the tales I had told him before he was a wizard about the four houses and how each had their own characteristics. I had wanted to be in Ravenclaw myself, but I had chosen to be in Slytherine when I went to Hogwarts in September, a few days after Sirius had proven that he was in fact magical and not a squib.

Sirius brow furrowed as he turned his gaze back to the scruffy old owl that hooted in the cage in front of him. The owl had sooty black feathers that stuck up at all angles, making it look like it had just been attacked by a cat. The bird hated everyone except for Sirius, it was my uncle Alphard's old owl but he had given it to Sirius after apprehending that the bird actually liked him. Sirius later named him 'Antiquitus' meaning 'old-times' in Latin.

A cry split the air and we both turned our dark heads simultaneously to look at what was going on. A tall skinny boy was on the ground. His shoulder-length straight hair flailed out beneath him as the boy on top of him pummeled him in the stomach. I was about to intervene when someone else rushed forward and joined into the centre of the fight. A short, chubby boy with light brown hair and watery blue eyes egged the boy who pinned the other to the ground. The person who had joined the fight was a small redheaded boy with freckles covering every inch of his pale skin. _A Weasly _I noted. He was fighting on the side of the boy who was on the ground, trying to pull the scraggly dark-haired child, off of the lad who was being beaten up.

I stepped forward, and so did Sirius, but before I could say anything to stop the fight; my brother raced forward and swung a blow at the scraggily haired boy. My eyes widened as he fell away and retreated from my little brother. Next to hit was the boy who had been beaten up. He would have hit the mousy redhead if he had not run away too fast; he turned to the fat boy next who wined for mercy.

I watched curiously wanting to see what he would do next. Sirius sides were heaving from the adrenaline as he hauled the fat boy to his feet and swung him away and into the crowd that had gathered around the scene.

"I don't know who was in the wrong, but now its over" Said my brother darkly. I could no longer see the redhead but I presumed he was lurking nearby. Another boy, who had not been involved in the fight, helped the scraggily haired boy up, flashing an apologetic glance to Sirius as he disappeared back into the crowd. The boy, who had originally been beat up, got up onto his feet, gave Sirius a death glare and raced away. The fat boy had long since gone, so all that remained was the scraggily haired boy, and my brother.

Cautiously the two eyed each other, Sirius's pale grey ones trying to read the hazel one's next move. After a few moments of wary movement in slow, shuffling circles, the scraggily haired boy offered his hand, and said gruffly.

"James."

My brother watched the other boy's hand, and extended his own to meet James's. "Sirius."

James smiled a wide grin, "Nice to meet you Sirius."

Sirius returned the grin "And you James."

From my angle I could not tell what happened next, but the sound of the clock ringing 'eleven o' clock' brought us all to our senses as we rushed to get in through the station 9 ¾'s. I waited patiently as the redhead and two other redheaded boys (who I could only assume were his brothers) entered through the passageway. I tried to go next; not wanting to be late for the train's departure but Lucius, a head boy in his seventh year, pushed in front of me. I sighed, letting the blonde pass, before cutting in front of Naricissa, to let Sirius go through the wall ahead of us.

I expected him to hesitate, but yet again was proven wrong as he ran at the wall, passing through without any trouble. I followed soon after and took my place on the train in the compartment opposite where Sirius had chosen to sit.

Opposite Sirius was James, his face smug but cheerful. I did not particularly care for the boy, but he seemed loyal enough. Next to James was the fat boy with the watery eyes, he watched Sirius a little too closely and it made me suspicious of his orientation as a male. I could see the small redhead peering around the corner, as though he wanted to join them. From the opposite side of the corridor came the other boy who had helped James up from the ground. He was small, but not as small as the redhead, he looked fit too, as though he had spent a childhood doing sports. He walked into the compartment calmly and politely asked to sit next to my brother, which he of course obliged to. The brunette sat down in the empty seat and closed the door. The redhead scurried away into a compartment with the boy who had been beaten up and a pretty auburn haired girl.

A knock on the open door caught my attention as Narcissa looked in. "Do you mind if I sit here, Regulus?"

I shook my head and scooted over to the window seat. The train was about to depart when one of the redheads who had been with the mousy boy, stood in front of our compartment. He was tall and skinny, with fairer hair than the boy. He also had less freckles.

"Hello Charlie" I said coolly.

"Hey, Regulus." He said cheerily.

Narcissa eyed him cautiously. She knew we were friends but Lucius did not. If Lucius decided to sit with us, my secret would be revealed.

I could hear the blonde coming now, closing the gap between him and us. I shuddered, and was about to tell Charlie to sit somewhere else; when I noticed Billius, Charlie's older brother. I motioned him over and closed the door before the blonde could enter.

I smiled and sighed. This was one of the rare moments I could be myself. No pretending. Everyone here knew my secret. I was safe…for now.

**A/N: Yeah I don't really like this chapter but all the characters kinda needed to be introduced at some point and I just decided to so all in one chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed it oh and please review!**

**p.s The mousy redhead is Arthur Weasly, the boy getting beaten up is Snape, the fit boy who helped James is Remus, and the girl with Snape and Arthur is Lilly. I am potentially going to make Lucius, and Billius Gay. What do you think?**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Ok guys, I am so sorry that I haven't updated in a really long time, and this is because I have had a massive overload of homework that will still continue over Easter break (we have our break at a different time than the Americans). However I hope to become more consistent with uploading and I'm going to try and post a new chapter every week/2 weeks if my homework gets over the top. Thanks for reading this and don't forget to review- I like to hear what you guys think of my story thus far.**

My eyes darted to my left as I heard the Slytherin head boy make his way towards Narcissa and I. We both had a free period on Friday afternoons, and we liked to spend time together without the nosy Malfoy interrupting our forbidden conversations. However I did _not_ know what Lucius was in fact doing here right now. I glanced at Narcissa, my eyes clearly displaying my confusion. The blonde shrugged in response before turning her gaze towards the older boy who loomed over us.

"I finished my work early in potions; Slughorn gave me the rest of the class off" He said as if reading our faces.

"How nice!" Narcissa exclaimed, a false mask of delight placed onto her face. I stared up at him, not bothering to change my casual position as I lent against the wall. My blue eyes narrowed, and a few stray jet-black hairs feel into my eyes obscuring my icy glare.

Narcissa glanced at me, and than back up at Lucius, who waited expectantly for me to say something. "Regulus, do we have any work due in?" she asked.

I shook my head, but the glare she shot at me told me that I was not helping enough. "No, we finished the rest of it yesterday. Remember?" I said quietly.

Narcissa smiled, "Oh yes, now I remember. We were just talking about how Regulus has been invited into the 'slug club'"

I grimaced and watched as Lucius brightened at the news.

"Oh really? How marvelous it will be to have a new face there" he grinned wickedly, and I knew that the information would not stay secret for long.

Narcissa must have seen my embarrassment, because a silly grin was plastered across her face; I had been trying to hide my talent at potions for the whole school year-I hated professor Slughorn, I thought he was a complete idiot. Two days ago however, he had discovered me perfecting a sleeping potion and had insisted I join.

Malfoy's mouth twitched as he tried to read my thoughts, I stood up and pretended to stretch as I let a yawn escape my throat. "What do you two say about taking a walk of the grounds? My legs need a good stretch"

I felt a soft tap on my shoulder, as Remus woke me from my bored slumber. I looked up; my grey eyes wide as I tried to comprehend my surroundings. The low hum of Professor Rayner's classroom brought me back to my senses. I sighed.

"Why the hell does the big-eared trout have to make his classes so boring?" I moaned. Beside me, James laughed and Peter soon joined in, his high-pitched squeal of laugh making my ears pop.

The clearing of a hoarse throat brought my attention to a tall shaggy figure that loomed over the cluster of desks I was sat at.

Remus's bright blue eyes looked as me as though knowing this would happen. Slowly, I met the gaze of the flustered professor, and gave an apologetic smile, though I knew it was futile for I spent the rest of the class at his desk, as well as my lunch hour. James joined me after falling asleep in transfiguration class, and we had spent the whole detention playing eye-spy.

A flash of red caught the corner of my eye as Arthur Weasly disappeared into the Gryffindor common room. I stepped into the light of the fat lady and murmured the password before entering the crimson furnished room. A fire crackled in the hearth and a group of fifth years lounged across the plushy chairs. I scanned the room for someone my age, but it appeared Arthur had already gone up to our dormitory.

I began to make my way to our dormitories but halted as a warm hand gripped my forearm, I turned my head to see Charlie Weasly staring back at me, upside down, lounged across an armchair.

With a slightly irritated look on my face I waited for the older boy to explain why he had my arm confined in his grasp.

"You're Regulus's brother right?" he asked with a casual tone.

My brow furrowed deepening my irritation; _why the hell does he care? My brother is an ass anyways. It's not as though I'm anything like him!_

"Yes" I replied though the lilt at the end of my word showed that my response was both an answer and a question,

"Just wondering. You look a lot like him"

"I suppose,"

"But…you seem a lot nicer, Artie always talks about you guys…I think you're his role models"

At this, I was surprised. _His role model? I suppose that's why he's always following us around…I think I'd prefer him to Wormy, but I'm not sure what James would think…those two are close, but maybe we could make some room for him…_ The clearing of a throat brought my attention back to the Weasly who had just released my arm.

"Oh yeah, cool, he seems pretty nice," I responded trying to sound optimistic despite my annoyance at the day so far. _Wait. It's Friday today, tomorrow is Saturday-Quidditch tryouts! _

Without waiting for a response from the fifth year I raced up the stairs, leaping two at a time as I made my way to the door marked 'First years dorm 4.'

Swinging open the door I collapsed on the farthest bed from the door, the bed was strewn apart with the mattress showing from beneath the sheets, I pushed off all of the books onto the floor and lay their on my back, not caring that all the other boys were staring at me.

James strode over and sat beside me; a grin plastered on his face; "Quidditch" he said

I closed my eyes and nodded "Quidditch"

**A/N: Sorry again guys for the delay in uploading this! I honestly have had no time-but it's officially the break! Good Friday is tomorrow so I won't be working on it than but I'm hoping to have the next chapter up by the end of the week! Happy holidays, and have a wonderful Easter/whatever you celebrate! P.s. no matter what you do I think that everyone deserves some chocolate; so here's some virtual chocolate for you!**


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